Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to restroom appliances and, in one particular embodiment, to a system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and/or managing multiple restroom appliances.
Technical Considerations
In most waste water systems, such as the flushing systems for urinals, commodes, and the like, the valves associated with these systems are prone to wear, leaks, and other maintenance issues. With continued or prolonged use over time, or as the internal components of the valve wear, it is not uncommon for these known flush valves to provide a different amount of water per flush than they were originally designed to provide. For example, a flush valve originally designed to provide 1.6 gallons per flush when new may eventually provide 2 or more gallons per flush due to valve component wear or use. For large applications, such as hospitals, prisons, stadiums, apartment buildings, and the like, this can lead to an increase in water usage and cost. Additionally, these known flush valves cannot compensate for variations in water pressure during the flushing cycle that can also affect the amount of water per flush the valve provides. In addition to valves, other restroom appliances wear with continued usage and require regular maintenance.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a system, method, and apparatus that reduces or eliminates at least some of the problems associated with known restroom appliances.